De quibusdam sacrae scripturae proprietatibus et modo legendi.

Why the Divine Books Deserve Careful Study

Hugh encourages the eager reader to embrace a thorough grounding in the number, order, and vocabulary of Scripture's books, so that once these foundations are settled, the reader can advance freely and confidently through the rest of the sacred text.

It shouldn't feel like a burden to the eager reader that we discuss the number, order, and vocabulary of the divine books in such varied and many-sided ways, because it often happens that when these smallest details go unrecognized, they obscure the understanding of great and useful matters. And so it's helpful for the reader to work through these matters once and for all, as if unlocking certain sections at the outset, so that with a free step he can then run the course he's set out on — and not have to seek new first principles in each individual book. Once these matters are settled, we'll then take up in order whatever remaining points seem likely to serve the work we've set out to do.